PROVO -- Honors and accolades continue to come for the BYU softball team, as four Cougars were selected to the 2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Pacific Region team. Pitcher Christie Zinanti, catcher Jessica Purcell, first baseman Andrea Ramirez and outfielder/utility player Angeline Quiocho were all selected to the region team that was announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Thursday.
“It is a great honor for those four players to be recognized in the Pacific Region,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “They are very deserving players and have all been key to our success this season.”
This is the second All-Region selection for Quiocho. In 2008 she was honored as a third baseman, before splitting time between third base and center field this season. She finished the regular season batting .414 with seven doubles, four triples, eight homers and 39 RBI.
Zinanti led BYU from the circle this season with a 20-7 record and a 1.55 ERA spanning 37 appearances. She was named Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year on Monday. During the 2009 season Zinanti poster her second 20-win season, only the third 20-win season in BYU history. She broke the all-time wins, innings pitched and strikeout record earlier this season.
Purcell, MWC Player of the Year, was an anchor behind the plate and from the batter’s box. Her .395 batting average and .824 slugging percentage gave way to 81 RBI, just one shy of the BYU single-season record. The sophomore also set the single-season grand slam record with three, for a total of 17 home runs.
Andrea Ramirez returned to the field after a knee injury left her sidelined in 2008. The slugger led the MWC all season with a .418 batting average. She also leads the team with a .492 on-base percentage, a personal best.
The Cougars begin post-season play today when they face Kentucky at the Columbus Regional at 3 p.m. Ohio State is hosting the regional and Canisius rounds out the pool for the site, which is double elimination. BYU is making its fifth-straight regional appearance.
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Pacific Region, First Team
Pos. Name School
P Krista Cobb University of California, Santa Barbara
P Marissa Drewrey University of California, Berkeley
P Katie Holverson University of Nevada, Reno
P Nichole Latham Portland State University
P Danielle Lawrie University of Washington
P Christie Zinanti Brigham Young University
C Jessica Purcell Brigham Young University
C Jamie Schloredt California State University, Sacramento
1B Andrea Ramirez Brigham Young University
1B Christine Thomsen Colorado State University
2B Ashley Charters University of Washington
2B Christine Ramos University of California, Santa Barbara
3B Sam Bias University of Nevada, Reno
3B Kathy Cox Boise State University
SS Desiree Beltran California State University, Sacramento
SS Caitlan Stem Colorado State University
OF Neena Bryant University of Oregon
OF Jackie Heide Portland State University
OF Britton Murdock University of Nevada, Reno
OF Kimi Pohlman University of Washington
OF Brittany Puzey University of Nevada, Reno
OF Jamia Reid University of California, Berkeley
UT/P Valerie Arioto University of California, Berkeley
UT/Non-P Angeline Quiocho Brigham Young University
UT/Non-P Ashlyn Watson University of Washington